Numbers 23:8

8 But God has not cursed them, so I cannot curse them. The Lord has not called down evil on them, so I cannot call down evil on them.

Numbers 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:8

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?
&c.] The sense is, that it was impossible for him to curse those that God did not curse himself, or would not have cursed by others; not but that he had a good will to it, to get Balak's money and honour, but he knew not how to accomplish it; yea, he saw it was in vain to attempt it, it was a thing that could not possibly be done: God does not, nor will he curse his spiritual Israel; they are blessed by him in Christ, and they shall be blessed; nor is it in the power of their enemies to curse them, or do them any harm: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, instead of God and the Lord in this and the following clause, use the phase,

``the Word of the Lord;''

the essential Word, the Son of God, who is so far from cursing his people, that he has delivered them from the curses of the law, being made a curse for them, that the blessings of the everlasting covenant of grace might come upon them; and they are blessed of God in him, and for his sake, with all spiritual blessings:

or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?
which is the same thing in other words, only this last word is expressive of more contempt and indignation.

Numbers 23:8 In-Context

6 So Balaam went back to Balak. Balak and all the leaders of Moab were still standing beside his burnt offering

7 when Balaam gave them this message: "Balak brought me here from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern mountains. Balak said, 'Come, put a curse on the people of Jacob for me. Come, call down evil on the people of Israel.'

8 But God has not cursed them, so I cannot curse them. The Lord has not called down evil on them, so I cannot call down evil on them.

9 I see them from the top of the mountains; I see them from the hills. I see a people who live alone, who think they are different from other nations.

10 No one can number the many people of Jacob, and no one can count a fourth of Israel. Let me die like good men, and let me end up like them!"